Valve



Sept. 2, 1941, E; E. EICKMEIYER HAL 2,2542421 VALVE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1Original Filed May 25, 1938 R (m m m ATTORNEYJ P 1941- E. E. EICKMEYERETAL 2,254,421

VALVE I Original Filed May 25, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet .2

A TTORNEYJ Sept. 2,1941. E. E. EICKMEYER ETAL VALVE Original Filed May23, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 JWQM EARL E. EICKMEYER- ANTHONY G.HORVATH,

K) 2 Ow Sept. 2, 1941. E. E. EICKMEYER ETAL ,2

VALVE Original Filed May 25, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 HHIUH W M A TTORNE Y9Patented Sept. 2, 1941 VALVE Earl E. Eickmeyer and Anthony G. Horvath,Dayton, Ohio, assignors to The Dayton Pump & Mfg. Company, Dayton, Ohio,a corporation of Ohio Original application May 23, 1938, Serial No.209,458. Divided and this application April 21, 1939, Serial No. 269,194

10 Claims.

This invention relates to a valve and more particularly to a valve whichis adapted to use in a water softening device and which provides asingle control of the interconnecting of a plurality of liquid conduitsin a number of different combinations. The valve of this invention isparticularly adapted for the control for the successive operations ofrefilling, brining, washing and softening in the water softening processdescribed in our co-pending application, Ser. No. 209,458, filed May 23,1938, which has matured into Patent Ser. No. 2,245,767, June 17, 1941,of which this application is a division. Reference is also made to ourco-pending application, Ser. No. 256,066, filed February 13, 1939, whichis drawn to a water softening apparatus for use in carrying out theprocess of the first mentioned application.

The principal object of this invention is the provision of a valvehaving a single control, but which is adapted to simultaneouslyinterconnect in different combinations several liquid carrying conduitsin such manner as to establish communication between the same asdesired.

It is another object of the invention to provide such a unitary controlmultiple valve which is especially suitable for use in the control ofthe several steps involved in water softening whereby the operator mayby successive manipulations of a single control effect the successiveoperations required for water softening and regeneration of the activewater softening mineral.

It is another object to provide in such a valve a rotor having aplurality of annular passageways, in conjunction with a stator whichcarries a a plurality of ports connected with the pipes to beinterconnected, said ports being of such dimensions and so located thatpredetermined combinations of a plurality of said ports may beinterconnected by engagement of said ports with sageways and said portsbeing disposed at the.

same radius from the center of the rotor and stator, and to providecentrally disposed locating means for said stator and rotor whereby saidpassageways are adapted to accurately connect various of said ports withone another.

Referring to the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a detailed frontelevation of a single control valve embodying the present invention;Figure 2 is a front elevation of the valve of in dotted lines thecompartments and ports in the stator of the valve and showing some ofthe conduits which are connected to the stator of the valve; 7

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3, 3 of Figure 1 looking in thedirection of the arrows;

Figure 4 is a detailed section showing a modification of the Valvestructure of Figures 1 to 3; 7

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5,5 of Figure 3 looking in thedirection of the arrows;

Figure 6 is a section on the line B, 6 of Figure 3 looking in thedirection of the arrows;

Figure '7 is a section on the line I, l of Figure 3 looking in thedirection of the arrows; V

Figure 8 is a section on the line l2, I2 of- Figure 3 looking in thedirection of the arrows;

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic view showing the arrangement of the rotorgrooves with respect to the distributor or stator ports when the rotoris set in the position for the softening step;

Figure 10 is a similar diagrammatic view showing the disposition of therotor grooves and the stator ports when the valve is set for refillingthe brine tank with water and for washing the mineral in the softeningtank in the opposite direction to that in which water normally flowsthrough the softener bed in being softened;

Figure '11 is a similar view showing the partsin position of passingbrine from the source of brine to the softener containingthebase-exchange mineral; and

Figure 12 is a similar view showing the parts in position for washingthe base-exchange min- Referring to the drawings in detail the valveconsists of a valve operating handle I which is mounted upon and rotatesa shaft 2 upon which is mounted a rotor 3 which operates within a cover4 and'which operates against the face 5 of a distribution head or statorB, the rear end of which is connected to the pipe 1 which is connectedto the top of the water softener tank. The right-hand side of stator 8is'connected at 8 to a drain pipe. Outlet 9 at the left-hand side Figure1, with the rotor shaft in section, showing 55 of the stator is adaptedto be connected to a service pipe which supplies the household with softwater.

Reference numeral l designates an inlet which is adapted to be connectedto a source of hard water to be softened. Reference numeral H designatesan inlet disposed in the cover of the valve whichis adapted to beconnected to a source of brine which is to be employed in theregeneration. The bottom of the cover casing 4 is provided with a plugl2 upon which is mounted a spring l3, which presses inwardly an indexingfinger l4 into-a shouldered portion [5 of the rotor 3, so that the'positioningof'the rotor 3 at its several positions by the handle I willbe indicated to the operator, spring-pressed plunger l4 being adapted tobepressed into a series of depressions on the periphery of the rotor,there being one depression for each position in which the rotor is to beset byhandle l. Rotor 3 turns with shaft 2 which is supported within the:cover 4 in the bearing I13, which is provided with a packing 1'! andpacking gland i8. A pin 19 mounted in the shaft 2 engages with theinside of cover 4 so as to retain shaft 2. The inner end of shaft 2isjournaled in a recess 20 in one faceof statort.

Figures 8 to 12 illustrate the 'construction'of rotor 3,; particularlywith respect to its face which is adjacent stator 3 and the positioningof rotor 3 with respect to ,the ports in stator 6. Figure 5;showsthe-face 2! of 'the stator fi, which has a plurality of ports whichcooperate with grooves 35 and 35 in the face of rotor 3; The relativepositioning of the rotor grooves with respect. to the ports in statorBdetermines the distribution of thefluid'inthe "valve of this invention.The port '22 in stator 6 communicates throughpassageway- 23 withoutletl24 which is in communication with pipe -1 leading to the top of--the water softener. .Por't'25 in thestator has mounted therein thejet'device 26 which is used in connectionwith the injector'2'! as willbej'herein described. .Jet device -26 has therethrough'. a longitudinalcrime 28' which is adapted to directa jet of 'fiuid rearwardly from acooperating groove in the stator throughlthe injector 21 whereby tobring about a suction act-ion of said jet. Port 29 in the statorcommunicates with hard water inlet 13. .communicates with thehouseservice pipe which Port '30 is connected to outlet 9. Port 3|communicates with outlet 32 which is in communication with .the bottomof the softener. "Port 33 communicates with'outlet 8 in the. body of thestator which is connect'ed to a drain pipe leading to the sewer.Connecting ports 29 and is a groove 34 in the face ofthe stator so thathard water coming through port 29 may always pass into the jet device 26and rearwardly through orifice .28 eventhough the. grooves ofthe rotor.are in such a position that. they do not establish fluid communicationbetween ports 29 and 25.

.Referring to Figure 8 the construction of the 'inside' face of rotor 3is shown. This rotor has an annular groove 35' which'is disposed at thesame distance from the axis of the valveas the ports the stator 6. Rotor3 hasanother rotor 3 and the cover 4. In the following description itwill be assumed that spring-pressed plate 38'is employed in port 31 andthe function of this spring-pressed plate will be described. Port 39allows fiuid pressure of the incoming city water to act uponspring-pressed plate 38 thereby forcing it into still tighterengagementwith the face of the stator 6. Where spring- .pressed plate 38 is notemployed, orifice 39 is dispensed with as will be apparent from acomparison of Figures 3 and 4.

' Groove 35 of stator 3 is provided with an orifice 40 which' leads tothe chamber formed between rotor '3 and cover 4 whereby to establishfluid communication between groove 35 and the space behind the rotor 3so that the fluid pressure of the incoming city water will betransgroove 35'which is similarly disposed on the Intermediate betweenspring-pressed plate38 (compare Figures 3 and 4).. Port 31 is :provided'with an orifice 39 leadingrearwardly tothe'compartment between the.mitted to the rear face of the rotor and will pressvit into firmengagement with the face of stator '6.

Referring to Figure 9 which illustrates the softening position of themechanism, the hard water coming in through port 29 is connected bygroove 35 to port 22 which is in communication with the top of thesoftener. The port 3| which is connected to the bottom of the softeneris connected bygroove 36 to port 30 which is in communication with thehouse service line. Orifice-'33 is positively closed by spring-pressedplate 38 illustrated in Figure 4. Consequently the valve parts are sodisposed as to bring about the down-flow of the hard water through themineral bed in the softener tank and flow of the softened water from thebottom of the mineral bed to the house service line. In addition to hardwater communicating with outlet 24 leading-to the top of the softener bymeans of port 22, hard water is also communicated to said .outlet 24 byreason of the fluid communication of jet device 26 located in port 25with port 29 by'means of both groove 34 in the stator and groove 35 inthe rotor, although the amount of hard water passing into outlet 24through the orifice in jet device 26 will not be nearly as great as theamount passing thereinto through port 22.

Referring to Figure 10 which illustrates. the parts in a position forsimultaneously refilling of the brine tank with hard water whereby toprovide a supply of brine and upward washing of the mineral in thesoftener, itwill be observed that the groove 35 now bridges the-hardwater port 29; the port 30 and the port '3! leading to the bottom of thewater softener whereby hard water'is passed both to the serve line andto the bottom of the water softener.

The port 28 in jetdevice 26 is now provided with incoming hard waterthrough groove 34. The groove 36 spans the port 22 and the port 33',whereby the top of the water softener in communication with port '22 isconnected to the drain in communication with port '33. Thus, thesoftener bed is washed 'upwardly with hard water and the washing waterafter passing through the bed is led to the drain and none of this dirtywater gets into ber 48 and passageway 49 to the valve 4| and outwardlythrough outlet II to the brine tank. In order to do this the camshoulder 42 on the periphery of the rotor 3 has lifted the pin 43against thespring 44 and has lifted the valve member 4|. Since outlet 24is now in communication with the drain by means of groove 36 which spansports 22 and 33 injector 21 is now closed by the force of water againstinjector cover 45 so that hard water passing through the orifice 28 ofjet 26 is compelled through passageway 48 and orifice 49 to valve 4| inthe manner just described.

In Figure it wall be noted that the groove 36 only connects the top ofthe softener through port 22 from which the dirty water is moving to thedrain port 33 and there is no way by which this dirty water could beintroduced into the brine tank.

Referring to Figure 11 which illustrates the position of the rotor andstator for the brining wherein brine is to be passed downwardly into thesoftener, the groove 36 of the rotor spans the drain port 33 and theport 3| connected to the bottom of the softener whereby liquid passingout of the bottom of the softener is connected to the sewer. Thespring-pressed plate 38 in recess 31 is over the opening 22 leading tothe top of the softener. The groove 35 spans the jet opening 28, thehard water port 29 and the service port 30. By this arrangement the citywater or hard water is connected to the service line for the dwellingusing the soft water and the jet opening 28 is supplied with hard waterso as to induce the flow of brine from brine inlet through the injector2! to the top of the softener, whence the brine passes through thesoftener bed, out the bottom and thence through port 3|, groove 36 andout port 33 to the sewer. The force of this injected water passingthrough the injector 2! lifts the cover sleeve 45 which is over theinjector 21 and is normally closed by spring 46 pressing against themember 41. The opening to the brine inlet II is effected by the camsurface 42 lifting the pin 43 and thereby opening the valve 4| againstthe spring 44 allowing brine to be sucked into the chamber 48 throughorifice 49 and thence to mingle with the water passing through jet 2'!and thence going into the top of the softener through outlet 24. Thus,the house service line is supplied with hard water temporarily and thetop of the softener is supplied with .brine and the bottom of thesoftener is connected with the sewer.

-Referring to Figure 16 which illustrates the position of the partsduring the washing operation which follows thebrining of the mineralsoftener, the rotor groove 35 spans the jet opening 28, the hard waterport 29, and the port 39 connected with the service line. Groove 36spans the port 3| which is in communication with the bottom of thesoftener and the drain port 33. In this position the hard water is connected to the service line and to the injector i tions as come withinthe scope of the claims and the invention.

Having thus fully described our invention what we claim and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a valve, a stator having an inlet passage and a plurality ofoutlet passages, a plurality of ports in one face thereof communicatingwith said passages, a rotor having a passageway in a face thereof whichis disposed adjacent said face of said stator, a cover associated withsaid stator forming an enclosure therewith for said rotor, said rotorpassageway being adapted to interconnect less than all of said portswith one another, and a groove in the face of said stator between theport communicating with said inlet passage and one of said portscommunicating with said outlet passages to interconnect said two portsregardless of the position of the rotor with respect to the statorwhereby fluid flow can be maintained through said one port at all timesirrespective of the interconnection of the other ports.

2. In combination, in a water softening control valve, a cover, adistributor associated with said cover and forming therewith a valvebody, a rotor mounted within said body, said rotor having a plurality ofpassageways in one face thereof, said' distributor having one faceadjacent said rotor and having a plurality of ports therein arranged tobe successively placed in communication with the passageways in saidrotor, a hard water inlet passage connected to one of said ports, theother of said ports being connected to passages directed exteriorly ofsaid body, a jet means in one of said distributor ports, an injectorassociated therewith for directing flow therethrough to one of saidexteriorly directed distributor passages, a brine inlet passage in saidbody communicating with the inlet of said injector, and yielding meansnormally adapted to close said injector to divert the normal flowtherethrough during a portion of the cycle of operation of the watersoftening system.

3; In a single control valve for a water softening system comprising acover, a distributor associated with said cover and forming therewith avalve body, a rotor mounted in a chamber therein, means for rotatablysupporting the rotor, said rotor having arcuate grooves in one facethereof, said distributor having a face thereof adjacent the groovedface of said rotor and having a plurality of chambers associatedtherewith having inner ports adapted tocommunicate with said grooves andouter ports adapted to communicate with the connecting pipes of thewater softening system one of which is the hard water supply, a jetmeans in one of said distributor ports communicating with said rotor, aninjector in communication with one of said chambers of the distributorand with said jet, a brine inlet passage in communication with the inletside of said injector, and yielding means for normally closing the outerend of said injector' adapted to be opened by the force of liquid beingejected therethroug'h.

4. In a single control Valve for a water softening system comprising acover, a distributor associated with said cover and forming therewith avalve body, a rotor mounted in a chamber therein, means for rotatablysupporting the rotor, said rotor having arcuate grooves in one facethereof, said distributorhaving a face thereof adjacent the grooved faceof said rotor and having a plurality of chambers associated therewithhaving inner ports adapted to, communicate with said grooves and outerports adapted to communicate with the connecting pipes of the watersoftening system one of which is the hard water supply, a jet means inone of said distributor ports communicating with said rotor, an,injector in communication with one of saidchambers of the distributorand with said jet, a brine inlet passage in communication with the inletside of said injector, yielding means for normally closing the outer endof said injector adapted to be opened by the force of liquid beingejected therethrough, cam means on one face of said rotor, and anormally closed valve in said brine inlet having means to; engage saidcam, whereby said valve is openedupon rotation of said rotor to providecommunication between said brine inlet and said ejector.

5. In a single control valve for a water softening system comprising acover, a rotor mounted in a chamber therein, means of pivotallysupporting the rotor, said rotor having arcuate grooves in one facethereof, a distributor mounted adjacent the face of said rotor and coverhaving a plurality of chambers with inner .ports adapted tocommunicatewith said grooves and outer ports adapted to communicate with the watersoftening apparatus, a jetmeans in one of said distributor portscommunicating with said-rotor, an injector in communication with one ofsaid chambers of the distributor and with said jet, yielding means fornormally closing the outer end of said injector adapted to be opened bythe force of liquid :being ejected therethrough, said control valvehaving one position of operation wherein the injector is opened by waterpressure through .the jet .to draw brine through the brine line andanother position of operation wherein the injector is closed by theyielding means to prevent return flow of water flowing through thesoftener to the brine line.

6. In a single control watersoftener valve, a stator having a pluralityof circularly. disposed spaced ports in its forward face, saidportsbeing in communication with chambers provided in said stator, saidchambers having outlets adapted to be connected to fluid conduits one ofwhich is a hard water supplyconduit, a jet device in one of said ports,an injector mounted therebehind through which said jet device is adaptedto project a jet of liquid at high speed through said injector into aspace therebehind, a second one of said ports being in fluidcommunication with said space, said space'being in fluid communicationwith a fluid conducting conduit, springpressed means normallyclosingsaid injector forwardly and adapted to be opened by the force ofsaid jet at times other than when liquid is moving forwardly in saidspace, a brine inlet passage in said stator communicating with the inletside ofsaid injector, a rotor rotatably mounted against said statorface, a cover cooperating with said stator to enclose said rotor, andpassages in the face of said rotor contacting said stator to variouslyinterconnect said ports when said rotor is rotated to various positions.r

7. In a single control water softener valve, a stator having a pluralityof circularly disposed spaced ports in its forward face, said portsbeing in communication with chambers in said stator, said chambershavingoutlets adapted to be connected to fluid conduits one of which isa hard water supply conduit, a rotor having one face contacting saidstator face and having grooves in its contacting face adapted tovariously interv connect said ports, a cover cooperatingwithsaid statorto enclose said rotor, a jet device mounted in said stator faceandadapted to project a jet of liquid rearwardly, means connecting said'jetdevice at all times with a supply of liquid to be jetted therein, aninjector behind said jet device adapted to receive-the jet therefrom andin communication with a rearward.- space, saidspace being incommunication with a' fiuid conducting conduit, one of said ports havingits chamber in free communication with said space, a second chamberbetween said jet device and said injector through whichliquid is {suckedby said injector and jet device and into which said-jet is received whensaid injector is closedoff, a brine inlet passage in communication withsaid second chamber, and check valve means .in operative associationwith said'injector normally urged to close said injector, said valvebeing opened by the force of said jet when liquid is flowing rearwardlyin said space and closed when liquid is flowing forwardly in saidrearward space.

8. In combination, in a water softening control valve, a stator having a'hard water inlet opening, a plurality ofports in one face of saidstator, one'of said portscommunicating with said hard water inlet andthe other of said ports communicating with fluid conducting conduitsdirected exterior-1y of said stator, a rotor having a plurality ofpassageways in a face disposed adjacent said face of saidstator, a coverassociated with said stator-forming therewith an enclosure for saidrotor, said rotor passageways being adapted to interconnect said portsin said stator in various combinations to direct the now of Waterthrough the softener; two of said ports communicating with a commonoutlet, one of said two ports including an injector, check valve meansfor closing said injector, and means for conducting brine-to the inlet'sideof said injector, said water softening control valve having oneposition of operation wherein said two openings operate in parallel andhaving another position of operation wherein said check valve closessaid injector to prevent ,samefrom functioning.

9. A single control valve for a watersoftening system comprising acover, a rotor mounted in a chamber therein, means for 'rotatablysupporting the rotor, said rotor having arcuate grooves in-one-facethereof, a distributor mounted adjacent the face of saidrotor andcoverhaving a pluralityof chambers with inner portsadaptedto communicate withsaid .grooves and outer ports adapted to communicate with the conduits.of a water softening system, one of which conduits is a hard watersupply, a, jet means in one of said distributor ports communicating withsaid rotor, an injector in communication with one of said chambers ofthe distributor and with said jet, means for conducting brine to thesuction side of said injector, a valve surrounding said injector, andspring means normally urging said valve into closedposition against theend of the means in one of said distributor ports communieating withsaid rotor, an injector in communication with one of said chambers ofthe distributor and with said jet, means for conducting brine to thesuction side of said injector, a sleeve type valve surrounding saidinjector and having one end thereof closed, said valve being slidableupon said injector, a passageway in said sleeve, and spring meansnormally urging said sleeve valve into position to close saidpassageway.

EARL E. EICKMEYER. ANTHONY G. HORVATH.

